Ever Never After | The School for Good and Evil Fanfiction

Chapter 5: The School Master

The only Sader that Alma knew was Professor Sader.

According to the Sader section, about two hundred years ago, the family had been jailed for having sold fake prophecies. They'd proven their abilities in court, but that hadn't saved them from Monrovia, an underwater prison. The Saders had managed to escape, only to have been later caught and taken to Maidenvale. But their next imprisonment hadn't been long. The School Master, for reasons unknown, had ordered their release and lifted their name to glory.

Was Professor Sader related to them? Was he a seer?

Beatrix wasn't sure either. She also didn't care and told Alma not to disturb her that night. She wore a sleeping mask and earplugs, even though Alma assured her that she didn't snore or grind her teeth.

At the end of History of Heroism the next day, when all the other Evers cleared the room except for Beatrix, Alma approached Professor Sader.

"Um, hi, Professor," Alma said, ignoring an impatient Beatrix who was tapping her foot. "I need to ask you something."

Professor Sader smiled at her. "Of course."

"Are you related to the Saders that were imprisoned?" Alma asked. "I just happened to read about them in a book."

"I am," he said. "The last descendant, aside from my half-sister, in fact. I am a seer, but, as you must know, I cannot tell your future without paying the price of age and prison."

"Right," Alma said. "I was just curious. Thanks for answering my question. I'm going to lunch now."

Alma started toward the door, and Beatrix followed.

"There are some things we'll never understand, Alma," Professor Sader said, and Alma halted. "Some questions are better left unanswered."

Alma turned around. "Excuse me?"

Professor Sader was smiling. It was a warm smile, reassuring, but it was making Alma's skin crawl. What did he see? What did he seem so certain about?

"Balance," he said. "There is a reason we are forbidden from sharing our visions of the future—seers can easily disturb the balance. We're entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing this balance that keeps our world in check and thriving."

But Evil didn't appear to be thriving at all. Then again, perhaps the Storian had been retaliating for the Evil brother's murder of his twin—or the Storian had been corrupted by the Evil brother, judging by Good's own Evilness. The latter seemed more plausible. Why would the Storian punish Evil for one person's bad decision?

The Evil brother was in control. He knew what he was doing. He knew too much...

"Is the School Master a seer?" Alma asked.

Professor Sader laughed heartily, shaking his head.

"No," he said. "That much I can tell you."

Alma nodded slowly, unsure of whether to believe him. "All right, thanks."

"Goodbye, Alma."

Alma sat with Sophie again, ignoring the scowling Nevers that were whispering about the three from afar, just as the Evers surely were. Alma shared what she'd learned about seers with Sophie and Beatrix, but Sophie seemed lost in a daydream, probably about becoming an Ever and marrying Tedros, and Beatrix merely rolled her eyes.

"Guys," Alma said. "This is serious."

Beatrix feigned a yawn and Sophie blinked, snapped out of her fantasies.

"The School Master's a seer," Alma said. "I just know it."

Beatrix laughed. "And Nevers can become Evers!"